Breaking News
Late Sports

Jersey Shore wins fourth consecutive District 4 Class AAAA title by beating Selinsgrove

By BEN BRIGANDI 4 min read

JERSEY SHORE — Skin in the game.

The phrase describes taking an investment or a risk, in the field of play, business, or daily life. Loosely applied, it means only asking of others what you are willing to do yourself.

This goes in the weight room for the Jersey Shore Bulldogs, who won their fourth consecutive District 4 Class AAAA football championship Friday night, 41-0, over the Selinsgrove Seals.

Coach Tom Gravish, with a presence no more imposing than the average football dad in a windbreaker and a hat brim barely clearing his tallest players' shoulder pads, can still be found regularly in the offseason bench pressing multiple sets for multiple repetitions at 225 pounds.

That's a magic number in weightlifting, as the two big plates on each end of the Olympic bar are a standard for strength in the NFL combine, among other places.

And a magic number Friday night for Shore was four, as in interceptions taken and consecutive district titles won. This is the golden age of Jersey Shore football, and the commitment shown by Gravish rubbing off on the players is a very important reason. After all, just four starters returned from last year's PIAA runner-up team, and this year's unbeaten team owns 12 wins, a total that used to take this program entire presidencies to collect.

"No, I never take this for granted," said junior lineman Zach Rooney, who pulled an interception for a defensive line that dominated by allowing zero first-half first downs and 38 yards total offense all game. "It means a lot to carry this on and keep it going for awhile."

Rooney had Shore's only first half pick, as the Bulldogs (12-0) forced punts on every drive until then. He also took part in a defensive line that harassed Selinsgrove (8-4) quarterback Mark Pastore all night, starting with Dierk Stetts' sack on the third play.

The Bulldogs offense did its part, as Hadyn Packer ran in two touchdowns and Brady Jordan ran and threw for touchdowns in addition to a 51-yard pick six on defense. Cayden Hess caught the touchdown as part of an 8-catch, 106-yard night and Gabe Andrus rushed for the final score.

Jersey Shore will meet Allentown Central Catholic next week at a time and place to be determined. ACC (9-3) beat Southwestern Lehigh, 21-14, Friday night to earn its record-tying 13th title in District 11.

Jersey Shore's first big postseason game against ACC came in 1997, when a team quarterbacked by Joe Feerrar, an inductee this weekend into the West Branch Sports Hall of Fame, shocked Danville to win the District 4 title to earn a game against a team led by future Penn State quarterback Matt Senneca. That 1997 season was a historic season at Shore and, while there have been ups and downs since, the program now has five district titles in nine years under Gravish.

Why? Skin in the game.

While Gravish can sometimes be found alone in the Williamsport YMCA doing his 225, his players have seen it, too. Brady Jordan — the Shore quarterback amidst the program's greatest run of all-time and whose name features the names of two other G.O.A.T.s in Tom Brady and Michael Jordan — said Gravish is stronger that some teammates, but not all.

Is he stronger than Jordan?

"Probably," said Jordan.

Is he stronger than Rooney?

"Probably," said Rooney, recalling some of Gravish's reps in the summer. "Coach plays a big part. We're thankful he's here. We all are."

Gravish, for his part, said he challenged his team to improve upon a 9-7 September win over the Seals. This was also Shore's fourth straight game holding the opponent to a single-digit scoring total.

"Yeah, I like to stay in shape and they know if I work out, they will too," said Gravish.

Starting at /week.